Who'd a thunk it?

[bogtrotter]

I just got back from skiing . . . in May!

I went to the Savoy State Forest and did a brisk 45 minute loop on cross-country skiis.

It was partly sunny, with intermittent flurries, and 29 degrees.  Snow accumulation varied from 1 to 3 inches.

It just goes to show . . . there's a first time for everything.

[lowaccord66]

Snow on the ground here too Jim.  Time to dust off the ice gear....ironically my earliest keeper stripers in the canal typically came this week every year.

[bogtrotter]

After my round of skiing earlier this morning, I gave fishing a whirl this afternoon at what (in past winters) has been my "go to" spot for brook trout.

Unfortunately, this past season, my luck seemed to have run out - - and I wasn't able to catch (or even find) any fish there at all in December or March.

So, I was pleased when the fish finally cooperated today - - and I was able to land a half dozen on the snowy bank of the stream.

True, they were small (4" to 7"), but small trout are better than none at all - - and hopefully a harbinger of bigger ones to come.

(In years past, I've caught brookies up to 11" long out of the same stream).

[lowaccord66]

Good stuff Jim.  I was day dreaming about the hoosic.  Meanwhile there's a snow squall going on outside.

[bogtrotter]

The irony is that, except for one small brown I caught just below the waterfall from Cheshire lake, I haven't caught a fish on either the north or south branches of the Hoosic yet this season.

(According to the DFW website, they stocked the South, albeit not the North, branch, but you could'n't prove it by me).

I'm hoping to head out and see if I can change my luck later today. 

t's gotta improve sooner or later (knock on wood), but the generally cold temps and high waters haven't helped.

JON - - After I've had a couple respectable outings on the Hoosic, and think it's ready, I'll shoot you a PM to visit.

[lowaccord66]

I'm ready.  It's been about a year since we last connected and we were catching good on that trip!

[Ryan51993]

After my round of skiing earlier this morning, I gave fishing a whirl this afternoon at what (in past winters) has been my "go to" spot for brook trout.

Unfortunately, this past season, my luck seemed to have run out - - and I wasn't able to catch (or even find) any fish there at all in December or March.

So, I was pleased when the fish finally cooperated today - - and I was able to land a half dozen on the snowy bank of the stream.

True, they were small (4" to 7"), but small trout are better than none at all - - and hopefully a harbinger of bigger ones to come.

(In years past, I've caught brookies up to 11" long out of the same stream).

I was in the same boat as you until about a week ago. I would go out and either get the skunk or maybe one brookie in my local streams. But after those couple of warm days it was like somebody flipped the switch. Its been a disappointing spring so far but things are finally looking up!!

[lowaccord66]

Cold fast water can be tricky but you can catch them year round.  It may be a bit easier on flies but even with spinning gear as long as you can get down close to where they are they'll eat. 

[bogtrotter]

I got out for a couple hours on the South Hoosic in Adams this afternoon, with modestly better results than my prior forays this season.

I fished my "milk run" - - from a little above the Burnett Bednarz bridge to a little below Elm Rock.

It was partly sunny, breezy and 52 degrees.  The stream was cold but not too high.

I had a few taps from a small (8" or 9") brown beneath the BB bridge, and caught a 9" brown just below the footbridge downstream.

I had another light tap or two from something at the small roll dam above Elm Rock, and I think (but am not certain) I glimpsed a small (9" or 10") rainbow follow my line as I reeled it in at Elm Rock itself, but that was about it.

Based on what I was seeing, they were all wild fish - - which is a good sign, but I don't understand where all the rainbows the State is supposed to have stocked a month or so ago have gone. 

I was casting into some of the best spots along that stretch of the river, which would ordinarily be monopolized by much larger fish, so I'm puzzled how the runts of the litter were able to occupy that prime real estate without getting pushed out by their bigger brothers.